Tempus Volat Hora Fugit
by Starfire201
Summary: When one fails to act when necessary, it can result in potentially deadly consequences. Beast Wars.


**A/N: **And here is my third Beast Wars story. Somehow a series was created without my meaning to, seeing as each one has had to do with the Vok, but I find I actually enjoy this, and this time the Vok are simply referred to. Again, this is based off a prompt from the TF pairings generator and I'll admit this one I found to be trickier than the other two. This one is from Cheetor's POV. If he seems a bit OOC, that is because I noticed how he seemed to grow a bit during the show's run, and wanted to present him as something more than an irresponsible kid. The title translates from Latin roughly as "Time flies, the hour flees".

**Disclaimer: **Don't own. If I did, the show would have done more with the characters.

Prompt: _Cheetor/the Vok/out of time_

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"_Lost time is never found again." – Benjamin Franklin  
_

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**Tempus Volat Hora Fugit**

I don't think we really paid too much attention at first when Tigatron and Airazor dropped off the radar. I mean, we were trying to put things back together and a lot was going on. Soon, though, we realized that they hadn't reported in after the first few days. Considering the Predacons were still a major threat even after the Vok attack, it made no sense for them **not** to call in. Even when Tigatron was living in the Tundra, he still made sure to check in once in a while. And Airazor, for all her sense of humor, took her responsibilities as a Maximal seriously. Don't get me wrong, we did get concerned, but not seriously, not at first.

While the lack of contact was disturbing enough, when they failed to return at all, concern started changing to alarm. The Predacons were the main suspects, but when Megatron made no claims of capturing them and other Predacons made no taunts concerning their loss, it was soon clear they weren't responsible for their absence. Then _**Dinobot**_ of all mechs surprised us all. You see, it turned out Dinobot had some respect for both of them as warriors, so one day when he was supposed to be out on patrol, he went out to scour the area their last transmission came from. He returned with nothing to suggest whether they had met with foul play or gone willingly. His report stated there were no signs of a battle or struggle in that area, and it was clear he seemed more disturbed by what he hadn't discovered more than what he had.

Looking back on it, I wonder if he guessed something of what had happened. Seeing as no one ever thought to ask him, it's impossible to know. He was so abrasive though, I wonder if he would have spoken his suspicions even if questioned. Strange I'm thinking that now…

The search probably would have become more extensive if the Beast Wars hadn't heated up again. Events just overtook us: Revelations concerning the planet we were actually on; Dinobot's betrayal; his death soon afterwards in his attempt to redeem himself and reclaim his honor; Protoform X (soon known to us as Rampage); Depth Charge's arrival; the truth of what was on those gold disks; the Dinobot clone…The list goes on. Somewhere during that time, Tigatron and Airazor were put on the MIA list and their disappearance became the least of our problems. The Beast Wars were providing us with bigger, far more serious situations. To be honest, I think Optimus thought we would have the time when things finally settled down to look for them. I know Rattrap thought they were dead. Rhinox, I'm not sure what he believed. As for Silverbolt and Blackarachnia, they hadn't known them, just of them, and never really considered what may have happened. Me, I thought like Big Bot, and in fact had planned my own searches once things settled down. After I became a Transmetal 2, I thought it would be easier to find traces of them. But as I said, I just thought I'd have the time to after things cooled back a bit. I mean, we would have plenty of time then, right?

Wrong.

Putting it off was our greatest error, Beast Wars or no. We should have found the time, Primus help us, we _**should **_have. It may at least have helped us prepare for the danger we now face if nothing else. For there was one suspect, or rather, group of suspects we didn't even stop to consider.

The Vok.

We probably _should_ have considered them given that they had just attempted to destroy us, but since they didn't turn up afterwards, we decided they assumed that the "corruption" was wiped out. Guess we shouldn't have assumed that, 'cause now it seems they did realize we were still online and took advantage of our distraction following the failed attempt, using it to kidnap Tigatron and Airazor. As we got more and more involved with the Beast Wars, they apparently bided their time and laid their plans, waiting for just the right moment to strike once more. A moment when we would least expect them to return.

Now it seems they have finally chosen their moment.

For in front of me stands a mech calling himself Tigerhawk, wearing the combined forms of our two missing friends. Yet there is no trace of them in the attitude of this mech declaring himself to be our enemy. Looking into his optics, the only thing I see is something that does more to scare me than anything else ever has.

The cold, emotionless eyes of the Vok.


End file.
